ENG-2007 — Page 249

Social Welfare | 201

output, outcome and service quality of subvented units according to 16 well-defined Service Quality Standards and a specific Funding and Service Agreement.

Information Technology

Following the implementation of the Technical Infrastructure project in April 2005, the SWD improved its email system to tie in with the Government's Accessibility Programme. The majority of SWD staff is now able to communicate better through electronic mail. The department will continue to develop a workflow- based Client Information System to facilitate case management and service planning. It is expected to be completed in 2009-10.

By year-end, about $207 million in Lotteries Fund grants had been approved for 42 Information Technology development projects in the welfare sector.

Elderly Commission

The Elderly Commission was tasked with the responsibility to advise the Government on the policy and services of the elderly. Recently, focuses are placed on promoting 'active aging' and advising on the means to further enhance long-term care services for the elderly. A series of programmes were launched in 2007 while others were planned for 2008. Among others, 32 Elder Academies have been established throughout the territory, offering more than 5 000 places to elders. The commission plans to further extend the scheme to tertiary institutions, and in primary and secondary schools in the coming year. Besides, the Pilot Neighbourhood Active Ageing Project (PNAAP) was launched aiming to promote the concept of 'active ageing' through neighbourhood platforms. Under PNAAP, NGOs enter into partnership with different sectors to train up volunteers to organise activities regularly for the elderly and pay visits to singleton elders to strengthen neighbourhood support. They can also help to identify hidden elders or elders-in-need for NGOs' follow-up actions. The two-year PNAAP will be carried out in 19 areas across the territory, reaching out to every sector of the community, including private residential estates, public housing estates, old tenement buildings and rural areas. PNAAP is expected to cover about 32 000 elders.

Enhancing Social Capital: Community Investment and Inclusion Fund

A $300 million Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF) has been set up to build social capital and foster social harmony in Hong Kong. The goal is to encourage people in the community to care for and assist each other and to collaborate in neighbourhood building activities

The setting up of the CIIF was announced by the Chief Executive in his 2001 Policy Address. At the end of 2007, the CIIF had allocated over $110 million to help carry out more than 140 projects in 18 districts. The projects are in different phases of development. CIIF funding for 40 projects has expired and different strategies are now being tried out to sustain their social benefits, as well as further develop social capital. Different models of tripartite partnerships have emerged. The projects are implemented with support from over 3 000 schools, businesses, local organisations